Pal Mabelane, News24 User
While many Gauteng drivers complain about inconsiderate taxi drivers, faulty traffic lights at major intersections and Gautrain detours making our routes longer, one has to observe a certain phenomenon that has taken over our major roads and shopping centres: beggars.
While I sympathise that many of them are unemployed and need donations for food, certain characteristics about these guys have made driving an even more hellish experience.
These are some of the observations I have made on some intersections, parking bays in cities and shopping centres in an around Gauteng.
Tourists from far and wide, take note.
Windscreen Washers - You will find these guys at the Grayston Drive on/offramps on the M1, especially if you cross the bridge to Wynberg and Alexandra and the corner of Marcia and Broadway in Bruma.
When the robot closes, these guys rush for your windscreen and spray water dashed with dishwashing liquid and start wiping it off with a "squishy"
Once done they expect some sort of monetary compensation, failure to do that will result in them banging your car and hurling all sorts of insults at you. Female white drivers are the main targets as they mostly don't have the guts to say "Voetsek".
The Mothers with babies on their back - These are spread all across Gauteng particularly on roads an intersections that "filter" people into the major suburbs.
For example, if you're driving into the southern suburbs, you'll find them at the Kliprivier interchange.
What makes this a bad experience is not the fact that the mother does not have money to feed the child, but the fact that the mother has to subject the baby to the scorching sun with no umbrella just to manipulate you emotionally for your money.
The teenage boys with obviously fictitious placards - What do I mean by these you may ask? A typical example, "Please help my dog is sick in hospital, 20c, 50c or R1 will help so I can buy him bread".
What? I know for a fact that most of them only use the money to buy glue or drugs that give them a high all day. You'll find these guys on the corner of Oxford and Bompas in Rosebank, right opposite the McDonalds.
The Volunteer Car Guards - All major malls and cities have got these guys. They help you park your car in the best parking spots and promise to watch over your car while doing your shopping.
When you come back they'll "help" you drive out and expect compensation. The problem with these guys is they are car guards by day and robbers by night, particularly in Sunnyside, Pretoria.
The ones in malls also work with major crime syndicates and follow you to your house or destination and rob as soon as you reach the gate.
My friend Masebo found the perfect parking bay in Hatfield located under a tree the other day and paid one of these R10 to keep it for her while she was making a turn at the office, she came back and it was given to someone else...I couldn't help but laugh at her. How could she be so trusting?
While I have highlighted the negatives, there are also positives to acknowledge. On the corner of Melville and Bompas there was a guy wearing a hat the shape of a coffin with the words, USE A CONDOM and AIDS KILLS on either side.I gave him R1.
You gotta love GP!
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